3 Responses to What Do Teens Think About the Mexican-American Studies Ban?

This is a shame. What happened regarding the curriculum is a serious matter to be addressed seriously. For the ALA to then make false claims that books were banned to promote its own interests is extremely harmful. Now you have children thinking books were banned when that is not true. Local media even investigated and found all the books were aplenty in the very schools accused of banning books. Its like creating and using useful idiots. Well the students are not idiots and they should not have been fed false information about a book ban that never occurred. Indeed, in the USA, the last book ban occurred about half a century ago.

What a shame to see the ALA and now the NCAC using children as pawns in promoting their false agenda. So naturally, fed false information, the students are going to publish things containing that false information, and ALA/NCAC touts/awards it. Is anyone surprised?

The curriculum removal is a serious issue to be addressed. Using children to promote the usual, false book banning propaganda is an eternal disgrace. Its cold.

Thanks Dan for your comment, as part of living in Tucson under the TUSD school board, I can assure you its much more than “propaganda” or “promotion of false agenda.”

All of the information I gathered is based off of 1st hand considering I am actually a part of this ongoing issue. The Arizona legislature passed legislation in 2010 banning public school courses promoting ethnic solidarity.The books listed in this video were subject for dismissal from the Mexican American study curriculum with reason being of its “radical content.” Some may consider “banning” as another definition, but these books were indeed terminated from the curriculum due to their “radical ideas” and “independent thinking”. Nonetheless, the parents complained that these ideas were dangerous for “young kids” while disregarding the fact that most of the students were reaching adulthood.

This film signifies the freedom to understand and interpret what we read and its not meant to “promote false agenda.” The documentary promotes the freedom of independent thinking among high schoolers.

Gio, I respect you and what you are doing but you have it wrong and you don’t even see it. “Banning public school courses” is a serious issue but it is not book banning. “The books listed in this video were subject for dismissal from the Mexican American study curriculum….” No, the curriculum was removed from the school, not the books from the curriculum. “These books were indeed terminated from the curriculum….” No, the curriculum was removed from the school, not the books from the curriculum. “Nonetheless, the parents complained that these ideas were dangerous….” That’s nice, but it is not relevant to the curriculum being removed from the school, unless you are suggesting parents are not allowed to raise a concern for fear of being labelled as censors. Ultimately the government decides what to do, not the parents. “This film signifies the freedom to understand and interpret….” That’s nice. To the extent the film addresses the serious issue of the curriculum removal from the school, that is good. To the extent the film addresses the false issue of book banning, that only harms your credibility regarding the serious issue. “The documentary promotes the freedom of independent thinking among high schoolers.” Great! Just be aware that people who have been pushing the false book banning banner for decades have glommed onto your recent serious issue of curriculum removal from a school and twisted into one of a book banning issue, which it is not. Notice they view it as a book banning issue and the actual concern is of lower importance to them. You are right to challenge the curriculum removal. You have been misled if you also challenge a nonexistent book banning issue.

The National Coalition Against Censorship is dedicated to protecting rights and principles guaranteed by the First Amendment. We report on incidents of censorship and provide support and resources to people facing challenges to freedom of inquiry and expression.